Leggett told researchers that she “has become one” with her device. It helped her control the violent, unpredictable seizures she often experienced and allowed her to take charge of her own life. So she was devastated when, two years later, she was told she had to have the implant removed because the company that made it went bankrupt.
Ethologists said in a paper published earlier this month that the removal of this and other similar organs could represent a violation of human rights. And the problem will only become more pressing as the market for brain implants grows in the coming years and more people receive devices like Leggett’s. Read full story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
You can read more about what happens to patients when their life-changing brain transplant is removed against their wishes in this section. Latest issue of CheckJessica’s weekly newsletter gives you insights into everything biotech related. Register to get it in your inbox every Thursday.
If you want to read more about brain transplants, why not check out:
Brain waves can tell us a person’s pain level. This research could open the door to personalized brain therapies that target and treat the worst types of chronic pain. Read full story.
+ An ALS patient sets a communication record through a brain transplant. Brain interface could allow paralyzed people to speak at near-normal speed Read full story.
+ Here’s How Individual Brain Stimulation Can Treat Depression. Implants that monitor and optimize our brain activity are being developed. Read full story.
